Black Tie Affair
by quintessentially
Summary: Even though Prentiss is the farthest thing from her mother's high society life, she has to go to a gala being thrown in her mother's honor.  But she, of course, needs an escort...
1. At the Office

"G'night guys. See you tomorrow," Reid called.

"Wait!" Prentiss shouted. "Uhh… can you just wait a minute? I want to ask you something."

She casually walked toward Reid. She didn't want to come off too strong, but she usually did. She had that kind of a personality. She noticed her palms were clammy. Damn, she thought. Not now, not now.

"Yeah? What's up?"

Prentiss knew that no matter how she said it, it was going to come across as awkward. Or snobby. She should just ask. "So… you know how my mom is an ambassador and all?" Reid nodded, but looked a little confused. Jeez, she thought. That was not how to start this conversation. "Well, she's kind of involved in D.C. society life. You know, rich people, fancy dinners, that sort of thing." Reid looked genuinely put-off. Damn it, she thought as she mentally kicked herself. "I mean, I'm not really a part of that. But there's this event, party, no, it's a gala, actually, that's being thrown in my mom's honor. Through Georgetown. Because, you know, she went there, and she's a serious benefactor, and all that."

Reid still looked puzzled. Damn it, Emily! She thought. Why aren't you any good at this? "Anyway, I have to go. And while high society black tie events aren't exactly my thing, it shouldn't be too bad. And since it is this fancy thing, I'm expected to bring an escort. So…"

Reid was still puzzled. Jeez, kid! Can't you take a hint? she thought, very frustrated. "So, I was wondering if you wanted to be my escort for the evening."

Reid didn't respond. "It's totally casual for us, though. I mean, I just need someone to go with. And to talk with when I don't feel like talking to my mother's snobby friends, you know?"

"I'm… uhhh… flattered, Prentiss, that you would ask me. But, I mean, I'm not really the 'high society' type."

"Well neither am I! That's why I think we might have a good time. Morgan's always joking about how you never get out, right? Well, now you'll have something to tell him about. But, I mean, if you don't want to go, it's no big deal."

"You need an escort, right?"

"Yeah. Well, technically I don't have to go with an escort. But it's 'highly frowned upon,'" Prentiss said in her best imitation-royalty voice. Reid laughed a little. She smiled. She thought his laugh was so becoming, so sweet, so sexy…

"Oh, all right, Prentiss. I'll go with you."

"Great! I have an invitation for you here. It has the dress code and stuff. You don't have to worry about the tickets or anything because you're going with the daughter of the honoree. My mom's arranged for a limo to bring me, so I'll pick you up around 8 on Saturday?"

"Sure. Sounds good."

"Great," Prentiss sighed. "Great. See you tomorrow." He waved and walked out of the room. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that she got him to come. She couldn't wait until Saturday night.


	2. In the Apartment

Emily stepped out of the limo. She probably looked like a princess. Her hair was in a soft updo, with a few ringlets framing her face. Her skin was flawless, and her eyes shone brightly. She was wearing a long, slinky black dress that hugged her curves in the most beautiful way.

But on the inside, she felt like crap. She had terrible cramps that morning. When her mother called to check up on her, Emily just blew up at her. For no reason. She was just irritable. But she managed to pull herself together for the ball. Probably only because she was going with Reid and she didn't want him to see her look like a slob.

She walked up to his apartment door and rang the bell. She had a feeling he was ready, but she was nervous about him seeing her like this. He had only ever seen her in turtlenecks and pantsuits. And she had only seen him in sweatervests. She liked when guys cleaned up and wore tuxes, though. It made them look classy.

The door swung open. "Hey, Em-" His jaw dropped. She looks amazing, he thought. "Uhh… hey, Prentiss. You look b- beau- beautiful."

She hadn't heard anything he said. While he didn't know that at the time, he would have been incredibly grateful. Prentiss was too busy starting at Reid. She couldn't describe how handsome he looked in his tuxedo. He looked so pulled together, so classy, so… so sexy. It sent chills up her spine.

"Hi, Reid. You look handsome. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Yeah, just one thing. Stay right there."

He ran to his bedroom and opened the drawer in his nightstand. He rummaged for a black velvet box his mother had given him the last time he visited her. He told her about Emily, how gorgeous she was, how she appreciated his jokes, how she had "accidentally" bumped into him on the jet. When his mother saw how much he liked Emily, she went through her drawers and gave him her best set of pearls. "When the moment is right, Spencer, give her these," she had told him. Well, he thought, now's as good a time as any.

"Uhh, Emily? I have something for you."

"You do? What is it?"

"It's… a little present." He pulled out the black velvet box and opened it. "They were my mother's. She insisted I give them to you."

Emily was in shock. They were gorgeous, obviously very expensive pearls. "Spencer- they're beautiful! Are you sure? I mean-"

"Yes. I want you to have them."

Prentiss slipped them on, and looked up at Reid. She was so grateful for the pearls, and for his company. She couldn't wait to walk into the hall and wow all the guests. "Shall we?" she asked.

"We shall," he grinned back, offered his arm to her, and escorted her out of his apartment.


	3. In the Limo

"I've never been in a limo before."

Reid was trying his hardest to not make the ride to the gala awkward. They hadn't spoken at all since they got inside. There was some nervous laughter, a little smiling, but not talking. Reid's voice was shaky, nervous, as it cut through the silence.

Prentiss, slightly startled, looked up at him. "Really?"

"Yeah. I've been in bureau cars, coach buses, and ferries, but never a limo."

"Well," Prentiss grinned, "there's a first time for everything."

Reid laughed nervously, secretly wondering if there was any subtext in what Emily had said. Her demeanor, her smile, her posture told him that she was hinting at a romantic relationship. But his rational brain threw that idea out almost as fast as it had entered his mind.

Then the awkward silence interrupted their conversation. Which was fine with Prentiss. All she really wanted to do was stare at Reid. Admire him. He had cleaned up nice. His hair was slicked to one side, which made him look like a gentleman, made him look classy. His eyes were sparkling, twinkling at Prentiss. His tuxedo made him look sharp. He looked tall, elegant. She was sure that he would make a splash at her mother's gala.

She didn't want to say anything because she didn't want to ruin the perfect moment. How many times before had she opened her mouth at the wrong moment and ruined everything…

She began to notice that it was a little chilly inside the limo. Not unbearable, but cold enough to make her wish it was a little warmer. "Are you cold, Reid?"

"Me? No, I'm fine."

"Oh. I'm a little cold. Do you mind if I tell the driver to turn up the temperature a little?"

"Here," Reid offered. "Do you want my jacket?" Reid wasn't sure where those words came from. His instinct, he supposed. Or maybe he did it because that's what they do in the movies. Those romantic comedies where the gorgeous girl falls for the nerdy guy, and they go on a first date, and nothing is going right. But then someone says something sweet or touches the other one's hand. And suddenly everything is perfect.

"Uhh, yeah. Thanks, Reid." She took the jacket and placed it around her shoulders. A true gentleman, she thought.

Once again, awkward silence took over. Prentiss just sat there staring, smiling at Reid. Reid was looking at his hands. Every so often, he'd look up to marvel at Prentiss' beauty, and at the instant their eyes met, she would look down at her hands. When she would look up to take in his handsomeness, their eyes would meet for a second, and Reid would look back down at his hands.

This process continued until finally Prentiss interrupted it. "This is ridiculous. We could be having a conversation right now."

Unfortunately for Prentiss, Reid wasn't good at forced conversation. He wasn't particularly good at conversation in general, but forced conversation? Forget it.

Reid just smiled. "You look absolutely beautiful, Prentiss. E- Em- Emily."

"Oh, thanks, Re-" Did he just call me Emily? she thought. "Thanks, Spencer."

They returned to their staring in silence. But this time, there were silent words being said.

Prentiss was saying, "You're incredible. You're so smart and chivalrous. Why didn't I do this sooner? I just hope you enjoy yourself tonight."

Reid was saying, "I still can't believe a gorgeous woman like you asked me to a fancy ball. I just hope I don't embarrass you in front of your mother and her high society friends."

The limo stopped. Prentiss knew they had arrived at the hall. "Thank you, sir," she called to the driver.

"You're very welcome, miss," he called back. "Enjoy yourselves tonight."

Reid exited the limo first. He offered his hand to Prentiss to help her get out of the limo cleanly and smoothly. This pleased Prentiss. She stepped out of the limo into the moonlight. Once again, Reid was stunned by her utter beauty.

"Oh," Prentiss laughed. "I almost forgot. Your jacket."

They both chuckled a little. Reid put his jacket back on and adjusted his tie a little. Prentiss thought she would pass out then and there on account of the classiness Reid was exuding.

"Are you ready, Prentiss?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. You?"

"Never more ready." Reid grinned foolishly. He offered his arm once more, and the pair walked up the steps toward the glorious gala hall.


	4. At the Entrance

Prentiss stopped. She got chills up her spine. Something was stopping her from entering the hall. She pulled Reid back.

"Emily- is- is something wrong?"

"I- I don't- know." Prentiss was sweating. Her hands were clammy. She was nervous. She never got nervous.

"Tell me. What's going on?"

"I don't know. I'm just nervous, I guess."

"About what?"

"This, I guess. I mean, every time I go to one of my mother's functions, her friends look at me and say, "Oh, Emily, how lovely to see you! Tell me, are you still working in the FBI? You know, everyone expected that you'd follow in your mother's footsteps. You're not married yet? Such a shame. And then when it's time for me to make a speech, I freeze up and can't think of what to say. No matter how many drafts I write. And then I embarrass my mother all over again."

There was a silence floating through the air. Damn it, Prentiss thought. I've just scared him with horror tales of my mother's friends. He's probably going to walk away and leave me here freezing and I'll have to walk in there-

"Prentiss. Emily." Reid grabbed her shoulders and turned her toward him. "It doesn't matter what your mother's friends are saying. All that matters is that you're here for your mother and you're going to stun them in your beautiful dress. And what your mother's friends think? That's out of your control. So just relax. Let's have a good time tonight."

What did I just say? Reid thought. Where did that come from?

Wow, Prentiss thought. I- you- just kiss me. Kiss me now.

Of course Reid wasn't that instinctual yet, and Prentiss didn't necessarily mind. She wouldn't mind teaching him a few things, and right now, all she wanted was someone to hold her hand and walk her into the gala.

"Thanks, Reid. Thanks. I guess I, uh, just needed some reassurance."

"Anytime, Emily. Are you ready to go inside?"

Prentiss closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I guess. No sense in drawing this out any longer."

Reid grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Prentiss' heart skipped a beat. She looked into his deep brown eyes. He smiled at her. With his other hand, he swung open the door to the building. "Ladies first," he offered. And in they went.


	5. At the Gala

And there they entered.

Prentiss looked around. Something about this room was familiar. There was a glass chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling. The ceiling was painted with an incredible frieze depicting the history of Georgetown. Where the ceiling ended, it met with sparkling gold trim with spirals and swirls. This trim led into a giant, round room painted with pure white walls.

Prentiss looked down. At the top of the stairs, a long red carpet began, and ran all the way down the stairs. At the far end of the room, tables were set up, presumably for dinner. They all pointed to the head table, where Prentiss would end up for dinner. She always hated being the center of attention at these events. All eyes would be on her while she was sitting at the table. All eyes were on her, in fact, as she entered…

All eyes on me? She panicked. She nearly turned around to leave. But Reid gave her hand another squeeze. She looked at him, and saw strength in his eyes. His face softened into a gentle smile. In return, Prentiss offered a weak smile and turned to walk down the stairs.

God, she looks gorgeous, Reid thought. She just shines in this light. And those pearls. Those pearls! My mother was so right… intuition, he smiled.

Prentiss put her foot on the first step. Then the second. And then the third. Eventually, she got into a rhythm with the steps. Step, step, breathe in. Step, step, breathe out. By the time she reached the bottom, she felt confident, beautiful-

"Emily!" her mother's shrill voice burst Prentiss' confidence. "Emily! How lovely to see you!" Ambassador Prentiss leaned toward Prentiss and kissed her first on the right cheek, and then on the left cheek. Emily rolled her eyes mentally. This was her mother. Never a hair out of place, never not courteous, prim, proper.

"Hi, Mom. This, uh, is-"

"Dr. Reid! Yes, yes, of course." Prentiss the elder extended her hand to Reid. "You spoke here last year at our symposium on The Psychological Effects of Technology."

"Yes," Reid nodded. "Yes, I did. It's a pleasure to speak with you, Ambassador Prentiss. And congratulations on this event! It's quite an honor."

"Why thank you, Dr. Reid. Come in, come in, both of you! I want you to meet some of my dearest friends." And she dragged them further onto the floor.

"But of course," Emily muttered.

"Huh?" Reid whispered.

"Her closest friends. They're all two-faced snobs who have no real opinions and way too much money. But put on a smile anyway," Prentiss shot back.

Reid was not in a position to ignore what Prentiss was saying.

"Emily, Dr. Reid, I'd like you to meet Senator Gregory McAllister, and his wife, Cynthia. Gregory, Cynthia, this is my daughter, Emily, and her escort, Dr. Spencer Reid. They both work in the FBI."

"How do you do, Senator, Mrs. McAllister." Prentiss extended her hand for a handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Reid offered.

"So nice to meet the two of you!" Senator McAllister had a booming, stentorian voice. "So nice to meet two agents here! And one the daughter of our esteemed honoree. Excellent. Just excellent!"

Mrs. McAllister didn't say anything. She was gorgeous, blond, probably just a trophy wife. She just smiled at Prentiss and Reid. Better that she doesn't talk, Prentiss thought. I don't feel like making small talk with people tonight. I don't really feel like talking at all, in fact. Except to Reid… she looked up at him. He was already deep in conversation with Senator McAllister, talking about the Bureau, about psychology, about statistics… Statistics? Oh no, she thought. I'd better stop him.

"Reid," she interrupted. "Do you want to get a drink?"

"Uhh, sure, Prentiss. It was a pleasure meeting you both." Prentiss pulled him away. "What was that for?" Reid whispered.

"Look," Prentiss responded. "I know the type. They aren't really interested in what you're saying. He just blankly nods at what you're saying. And statistics? Come on, Reid."

"What?" His voice got very high all of a sudden. "I can't use statistics?"

"They don't make for good conversation." Reid looked hurt and annoyed. Damn it, Prentiss, she thought. Now look at what you've done. You've just isolated the only person here who you would actually enjoy talking to. "Look, Reid." She took a deep breath. "Spencer- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. It's just- it's just I'm so uncomfortable here. I'm so out of my element. I feel like crap. I'm always so awkward at these things. And I'm just on edge."

Damn it, girl! she thought. Now you've just told him every negative thing about yourself to scare him off.

"Em, I totally get it. I didn't mean to snap back. I just want you to relax. This is your night to have a good time. You look like a princess. So you should feel like one."

Prentiss so badly wanted to kiss him, right then, right there. But it would make a scene, she knew. And the last thing she wanted to do was embarrass her mother again. "Thanks, Reid. I'm sorry. I just-"

She was interrupted by a soft touch to her shoulder. It sent chills down her spine and butterflies into her stomach. Reid had placed his hand on her shoulder and was drawing it down her arm, tracing her curves. Prentiss' heart stopped for a moment. She bit her lip. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."

They stood there in silence. But this time, it wasn't a silence of awkwardness. It was a silence of adoration, of appreciation, of giddiness, of… of love?

"Emily! Emily!" Her mother's shrill shriek interrupted her fantasy. Perfect timing as usual, Prentiss sarcastically thought. "EMILY!"

"What?" Emily cried.

"Emily, dear! No need to yell at me!" Emily clenched her jaw. "Your father is over there by the bartender talking to the President of the College. You should probably go make an entrance."

Prentiss laughed. "Are you ready to meet my father?"

Reid laughed along with her, but his had a faint touch of nervousness. "Should I be worried?"

"No! No, not at all. My dad is easy to get a long with. Especially after he's had a few drinks. Come on, I'll introduce you." She smiled, and her fingers crept alongside his. They wove their way in between his. Reid's and Prentiss' hearts skipped the same beat, and they began walking in sync toward the bartender.


	6. Meeting the Father

"Hi, Dad."

Emily's soft voice interrupted her father's conversation with the bartender. She turned around to see his daughter, beautiful and glowing, and with a sharp looking date on her arm.

"Emily, my dear!" He embraced her in a bear hug, as was customary between them. Emily had always looked up to her father. He was smart, yet compassionate. She connected with him than with her mother.

"Dad, this is Dr. Spencer Reid, one of my colleagues. Reid, this is my father, Richard Prentiss."

"It's a pleasure, sir," Reid said. He extended his hand for a friendly handshake. Richard grabbed it and shook it feverishly. Reid knew that his handshake was kind of akin to that of a fish, but he was worried that Richard was going to rip his hand off.

"Same here, son. You look familiar, though. Was it- no… it was- no… oh! That symposium of the physiological… no the paleontology… no… the psychological effects of technology! That was it! Pleasure to meet you, son!"

Reid stifled a giggle. Emily's dad was so bumbling, but so warm at the same time. Quite a nice person.

"So, tell me son, when did you-"

"Emily! Emily!" Her mother was calling her. "Emily!"

Prentiss whipped around. "What, Mom?" She was just starting to enjoy herself talking with her dad.

"I just need to go over some details about the speech and the order of things. Can you come with me a minute?"

"Speech?" Reid asked. "What speech?"

"It's, uh- never mind. You'll see. All right, Mom." Prentiss gave a subtle roll of the eyes just for Reid to see, and he gave a sympathetic smile.

"So, tell me, Dr. Reid. How old are you?"

"26, sir."

"26! My, oh my! A youngster, aren't you!"

Reid awkwardly looked up. "Uhh, I suppose, sir." Reid was swirling his drink, and lifted it up to his mouth to take a sip.

"So how long have you been interested in Emily?"

Reid nearly choked on his drink. "I- I- what?" he stammered.

"Son, I can see it. The way you were looking at her while she was talking. The way you were holding her shoulder. That little eye-roll she gave you that was just supposed to be a secret between the two of you. I can see it."

Reid was still frozen. Yeah, he had feelings for Emily. Big ones. As in every time she smiled, his heart skipped a little beat. But he wasn't ready to admit it. And he thought he would be able to use his profiling skills to cover up the emotion on his face.

"If it makes you feel any better," Richard whispered, "I know my daughter. I can read her like the back of my hand. She's very into you, also."

Reid's mind started racing. He had always hoped for that, but he thought it was unlikely. Every time he thought he detected something, he immediately came up with a reason why it didn't mean anything. But with Prentiss' father telling him…

"And I give you my permission to date her. Or whatever you need. I like you, son. You're young, but you seem like an old soul. And I think you'd make a good match for Emily."

"Hey," Prentiss said. She had returned. And not a moment too soon… "What were you two geniuses talking about?" She looked right at Reid.

"Uhh, we were, uhh, talking about the, uhh, symposium. That I gave here at Georgetown."

Prentiss looked over at her dad. He seemed to be agreeing. But she knew Reid was lying. Were they talking about her? Impossible, she thought. That's impossible. But Reid's eyes were telling her that yes, in fact, they were talking about her. And her dad's eyes said that he was totally fine with it. Prentiss relaxed a little. She was glad her father and Reid were getting a long.

"Sorry about that. Mom's a stickler for details. She just wanted to make sure I knew how to use the microphone. Anyway, she said that dinner would be served soon. So, uh, I guess we could make our ways to the dais."

"Lead the way," Reid offered. And so Prentiss did. She gently picked up his hand in hers, smiled back at him, and brought him to the dais.


	7. At the Dinner Table

They sat down at the table.

Prentiss was to the right of her mother, who, of course, was sitting at the center of the table. To her right was Reid, and to his right was her father.

She nervously looked around. She recognized a lot of the people here: mother's friends, fellow ambassadors, professors at Georgetown. Then she looked over at Reid. He gave her a faint smile.

"What's wrong, Prentiss?"

"Huh?"

"You look nervous. You've been looking around the room. And you're picking your fingernails. What's wrong?"

Prentiss bit her lip again. "It's nothing. It's just- nothing at all."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

But she wasn't. Far from it. She was nervous about making a speech in honor of her mother, about potentially embarrassing herself. She truthfully didn't care that there were over two hundred people there; no, she was worried about embarrassing herself in front of Reid.

A white-sleeved arm reached in front of her and dropped a plate of salad. "Thank you," she acknowledged the waiter. She picked up her fork, and began to nibble at her salad. She didn't have much of an appetite. She knew Reid was looking at her, and she knew that he knew something was wrong. But she didn't have the energy to explain it. Or worry him.

"Damn," she muttered, "my chair's wobbly."

"Excuse me?" her mother burst.

"My chair," Prentiss said. "Sorry."

She wrapped her right foot around the right front leg of her chair and attempted to move the chair a little closer to the table to try and minimize the wobbling. She moved her leg to her right to return it to its normal position, but it hit something.

"Ow!" barked Reid.

"Oh sorry, Reid! I was just moving my chair," she apologized. But secretly, she wasn't sorry. Accidentally kicking Reid sparked something in her mind.

She slowly crept her leg closer to Reid. With her foot, she nudged his a little, and stroked the top of his foot. Reid looked up at her, a little confused. She continued to move her leg up his, making it up to his knee. She then slowly drew her leg back down and returned it to her chair. She looked back up at Reid. He looked terrified for a second, but when Prentiss looked at him, he seemed to understand what she was doing. He figured he could play along. Prentiss' leg gave him a strange, tingling sensation up his spine. And he rather enjoyed it. He smiled once he figured out what he was feeling.

He moved his left foot to meet Prentiss', and together their feet did a sort of dance under the table. First, Prentiss' was on top, and then Reid's, and then they were pushing each other's feet against a chair.

Prentiss' napkin fell to the ground. "Damn," she muttered again. She pushed her chair out to get it, and another idea sparked in her head. She snuck under the table to reach the napkin, and began to move her hand closer to Reid, by his foot, by his calf, by his knee, by his-

"Thank you all for coming!"

"OW!"

Ambassador Prentiss had stood up to welcome all her guests, and in the process, scared Prentiss. She hit her head on the table above her. Damn, she thought. I've interrupted Mom and now when I come back from under the table, everyone will judge me and be staring at me. I should just make this as smooth as possible.

She quickly slid back out and into her chair and looked down at her lap. She didn't want to know if anyone was staring, glaring at her. But she could feel her mother's fiery eyes on her.

"Anyway," Ambassador Prentiss began, "it's so nice to see all of you here. I'm so honored to be the recipient of this award. I feel so blessed to be a part of this community." She paused for dramatic effect. "Many of you know my family, my loving husband, Richard, and my daughter, Emily." Emily looked up and briefly acknowledged the audience.

"So," she continued, "before we serve the main course, I invite my daughter, Emily, to say a few words for you all."

She sat down and nodded at Prentiss, who in turn stood up. She took a deep breath, and began to make her speech.


	8. The Speech

Prentiss looked out at the audience. It's kind of like The Princess Diaries, she thought. Where Mia is making her speech but she's really awkward and doesn't really know what to say.

She cleared her throat. "First of all," she started, "I just want to thank you all for coming. It's really great to see so many familiar faces gathering here to honor my mother."

She bit her lip. She prepared a speech, but it seemed so trite, so useless. Not that she was any good at making speeches off the cuff…

"My mother is really quite an incredible woman. She never gives up, and she is always prepared for a challenge. I can remember being a little girl, and traveling to all these different countries where she was stationed. Although I didn't really understand at the time why we had to move so much, I now know that it must have been because she was really good at her job."

A few chuckles erupted from the audience. Prentiss relaxed a little bit, knowing that her speech wasn't a total failure.

"I think that she's so good at her job because of her determination and her compassion. She doesn't settle. Ever. And she always wants everything to be better than it is. In a good way. She doesn't give up until all parties involved are happy with the results."

Prentiss fixed her hair a little bit. "There was one time where my mom brought a case to me at the FBI. There was a Russian family, and the father had been kidnapped. And the family was being threatened that if they didn't make the appropriate payment, the kidnappers were going to keep cutting off body parts and mailing them back to the family. My mom believed that we could help the family, and she stood by them through the entire process. And I admire her for that. She's probably where I get my determination from. I have a tendency to not give up, and even to be a little stubborn sometimes. But I definitely inherited both of those things from my mom." She looked down and smiled at her mother.

"I want to thank Georgetown University and the Alumni Committee for organizing this event. My mom has played such an important role in so many people's lives. From nationals to government officials, and local immigrants, and students here at Georgetown. And most importantly, my family. I know I don't say this often enough, but Mom, thank you for everything you do. You're such an inspiration to so many people. And even though sometimes you annoy me, and I annoy you, at the end of the day, you're so incredible. And I love you, Mother."

Prentiss looked down to her mother, and she saw a tear in her eye. Her mother stood up and hugged her, and the audience began to clap. Prentiss sat down. She was a little embarrassed, but she was proud. Proud of her speech, and proud to be Ambassador Prentiss' daughter. She looked to her right, and saw Reid grinning at her.

"What?" she said.

"That was great," he said. "That was such a great speech."

"Oh, thanks." She smiled. She looked around. "The orchestra's gonna start playing soon."

"Orchestra?"

"Yeah. There's always a small chamber ensemble at these events. And then people dance. I usually just end up sneaking out to the balcony."

"Not much of a dancer?" Reid asked.

"I mean, I'm okay. But I don't usually have an escort to dance with." Damn, she thought. I just made myself sound like such a loser. "But the view from the balcony in this ballroom is gorgeous, so I don't usually mind sitting out there."

"Really? You could, um, show me the balcony. If you want."

"Uhh, yeah, sure. I bet you'll like it," Prentiss stammered. She stood up to take Reid to the balcony. He offered his arm for her to link hers with. She smiled and bit her lip in a way that Reid found strangely enticing. "Lead the way," he said. And she did.


	9. On The Balcony

Prentiss and Reid began walking toward the balcony. Its entrance was through ceiling-to-floor glass doors. They were open, and a cool breeze blew through the archway. It brushed past Prentiss' shoulder. She shivered a little and felt goosebumps tickle up her arm. She couldn't tell if it was from the cold or from standing next to Reid.

They stepped onto the balcony. It was hexagonal, and the other 5 sides weren't connected to anything. It felt almost as if they were hovering above the earth. The walls came up to around Prentiss' hips, and they were lined with deep red brickwork. Here and there, Reid spotted a brick with a sparkle, perhaps a piece of glass or a grain of sand.

The moon was full. It shone down on Prentiss and Reid, making just enough light that they could see each other. But it was dim enough to keep the mood mysterious. It also kept Reid from seeing Prentiss pick her nails out of nervousness.

"Well," she started, "this is it. I just like the view because you can see the river. Sometimes there's a stray boat that glides through the river. Usually a tour boat. Or romantic tourists." She looked up at Reid. He was standing behind her, and a little to the left, looking out at the water. The city lights were reflecting onto the river, making it shimmer and sparkle in the moonlight.

"It- it's- beautiful up here," he stammered.

"Yeah." Prentiss smiled. She peered to the right of the balcony. "Oh. There's that stray boat."

Reid chuckled a little. Another breeze flew past them. This one was sharper, crisper, colder. Prentiss shivered.

"It's a little colder than usual up here," she admitted. She held her right wrist with her left hand and began to draw it up her arm in an attempt to warm herself up. She felt goosebumps on her forearm, her elbow, her biceps, her shoulders…

She felt another hand on her shoulder. She looked to her right and saw a gentle hand squeezing it. She gasped and looked to her left. Reid's right arm was wrapped around her, and he was smiling shyly at her.

"Sorry," he said. "I, uh, didn't mean to scare you. If you want I can-"

"No, please. It's fine. It's nice. I just wasn't expecting you to-"

"I wasn't either. I mean I've never done-"

"Me neither."

Prentiss just looked up at Reid. She didn't know that he had the ability to understand her like he did. He didn't know that either. She saw his mouth slowly turn up and a subtle smirk emerge. She blushed and looked down at her feet. A smile grew on her face, and she felt her stomach start to flutter.

Reid reached for her chin and lifted it up. His eyes met her and a chill went down her spine. He brushed his hand against her cheek. She turned towards it and looked back at Reid. His hand reached for her hand. He softly held a strand and ran it behind her ear. He hooked his hand behind her neck and pulled her close, close, closer, until…

His lips met hers. Prentiss tensed for a moment, then suddenly was overcome with a feeling of relief and happiness. She ran her hand up his arm and pulled him in closer. She could feel his hand running through her hair as she took a breath. In that instant, she gazed at him, and saw passion in his eyes. He embraced her again and met her lips with his. They continued this game of kiss and breath until Prentiss took the last breath. She looked at Reid, and when he routinely went towards her again, she turned away. He thought it was just Prentiss being a tease, but her eyes grew wide and worried.

"I- I- I can't do this," she cried and ran back inside.

"Emily! Em!" He called after her, but she had already made it inside and was already lost in the crowds. Reid's jaw dropped and he began to shake. What have I done, he thought. Did I scare her? I didn't know what I was doing. I have to go find her…

He ran his hand through his hair and ran inside, determined to find Emily.


	10. In the Bathroom

He frantically began looking around the ballroom. He saw so many people, all laughing and enjoying themselves. It was obvious that he was alone.

He saw Senator McAllister and his wife, talking to some other snooty couple. He saw Ambassador Prentiss floating between groups of people. He saw Mr. Prentiss engaged in a deep conversation with the bartender. But the one person he wanted to see? He couldn't find.

Wait, he thought. Let me just think about think logically. Emily is upset, embarrassed. She would go somewhere where she could be alone, where I wouldn't find her… the ladies' room!

Reid took off. He bumped into a few people, and apologized as quickly as he could. He nearly knocked a waiter over, but Reid didn't even notice. All he cared about was finding Emily.

He arrived at the door to the ladies' room. _Knock knock_. "Emily!" he called. "Emily! Are you in there?"

He didn't hear an answer to his question. He leaned in closer to the door and heard faint sobbing. "Emily! EMILY! Is that you?"

"Y- yes," she whispered.

"Can we talk?"

"You- I don't want you to see me like this."

"Em," he said softly, "that doesn't matter. I just want to talk to you."

No answer.

"Emily, I- it doesn't matter what you look like now. You looked gorgeous before and you're such a beautiful woman and I feel terrible that you're sitting in here crying. And I want to come in there and talk to you. But I'm not Morgan, so you'll have to open the door for me."

Reid heard a quiet laugh. Then he heard footsteps, and the door unlocking. It opened slowly.

Prentiss still looked beautiful. Her eyes were a little red, and her makeup was a little smudged.

Reid walked in and shut the door. "Em, what's wrong? What did I do?"

Her lip started to quiver. She looked up at him with sad eyes. "It- it's not you, Reid. I- I just- freaked out. I- I-" She started to cry again. She turned away and leaned against the wall.

"Prentiss. Emily. Em." Reid walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder in a gesture of kindness. "You can tell me. What's the matter?"

She turned around. "It sounds so stupid, though."

"I promise you. It's not stupid."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely. You can tell me."

Prentiss took a deep breath. "It's just that- that I got scared. I'm so used to my relationships blowing up in my face because I inevitably do something wrong. And then you'll find out that I'm not as pretty or talented or smart and wonderful as you thought I was and you'll dump me, cold and hard. And I'll get that same awful feeling that I always do. I just- I can't get hurt again. Not now, Reid. Not at this point."

Reid took both of her hands in his. "Emily, you don't have to worry about that. You will always be pretty and talented and smart and wonderful. That's why I decided to be your escort. And we all hate that feeling of being worthless. It was so hard being a child genius in high school. I didn't have friends, let alone girlfriends. So I'm new at this. But you're never going to say or do the wrong thing. And I'm not going to leave you."

Prentiss bit her lip. "Really? Because every time I get to this point, something happens, and I lose. It always happens."

"Em, you're not going to lose this one. Not with me here."

Prentiss tried to smile, but all she could do was start to cry again. Damn it, she thought. Stop being so emotional right now.

Reid pulled her into a hug, and gently stroked her hair. "Emily, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere."

"Th- thanks, Reid. I- I'm sorry about this. About ruining this night."

"Ruining it? Em, it's only 9 o'clock. And we haven't even gotten to the dance floor yet!"

"Dance floor? But-"

"You and I are going to dance. Even if we both look like idiots doing it."

Prentiss couldn't help but laugh. "Okay," she smiled. "But just give me a couple of minutes to wash my face."

Reid started to walk out of the bathroom. "Oh, wait!" Prentiss shouted. "You have to be really sneaky walking out of here. And don't wait for me. Because if people see us walking out of here together, they'll think we were… you know…"

Reid was puzzled. "Think we were what?"

"They'd think we were- oh, never mind. Just waiting in the ballroom by the bartender and I'll meet you there in a minute or two."

"Okay, Emily." He shut the door behind him.

_Oh my gosh, what is this? I've never had a guy who didn't want to dump me, especially after he saw me crying. I always screw something up. Always always always. And then he's out of here faster than anything. I can't believe Reid isn't leaving. And I can't believe he wants to dance with me! I guess… I guess this evening isn't going to be so bad after all._

Prentiss took a tissue and wiped the makeup smudges off of her face. When she felt that she looked presentable enough, she grabbed her bag and went to go find Reid.


	11. Back to Normal

She walked out of the bathroom. She knew that he eyes looked red, but the lights had been dimmed a little in the ballroom. Hopefully, no one would notice. Except probably her mother.

Prentiss began walking to the bar. She spotted Reid, who was deep in conversation with Senator McAllister.

"I say, son, you look familiar. Where have I seen you?" Senator McAllister's speech was slurred, and it was obvious that he had had way too much to drink.

"I, uh, was, uh, talking to you before. I'm Dr. Spencer Reid."

"A doctor! How fascinating…"

Prentiss intervened, grabbed Reid's hand, and pulled him away from the bar. "Thank you," he said.

She smiled. "You're welcome. Senator McAllister is fine to talk to, but when he's had a couple of drinks, it's just- put it this way. He doesn't remember ANYTHING."

Reid laughed a little. He was glad to see that Prentiss was back to her normal self.

"So, uh, do we just, uh, start dancing?"

"What?" Prentiss asked.

"Dancing. When can we?"

Prentiss blushed, and tried to turn her face so Reid wouldn't notice. He, of course, did. "Umm, usually, they'll announce when the quartet is going to start playing. They'll probably start in a few minutes."

"Sounds good," Reid said. "Do you want to sit down somewhere in the meantime?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "That sounds nice."

She followed Reid over to a bench in a corner of the room. They sat down. It was a bit of tight squeeze. Prentiss looked at Reid and giggled softly. Reid smiled back. He was glad that Prentiss wasn't mad at him. That would have just devastated him, if he found out that she was stringing him along only to dump him. Those were pretty much his only experiences with women. He was sick of being the laughingstock of relationships. But something was different with Prentiss… something felt utterly right about her.

"So," Prentiss started. She bit her lip again in a manner that Reid was finding increasingly enticing. "I just wanted to thank you again for coming to this with me. It really means a lot to me that you've stayed with me."

Reid smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Prentiss blushed again. Reid was so sweet and gentle. He was so different from any of her past flames. They were always the "bad guys"- the tough rock-and-roll, motorcycle-riding, rule-breaking dark handsome type. Reid was the complete opposite, which might have explained why he wasn't leaving Emily. But she felt something different with Reid. He genuinely cared about her. And not just in a romantic sense. He wanted to make sure that she was happy and safe confident. She smiled as she looked at him. Something felt utterly right about him.

"Thank you all once again for coming." Ambassador Prentiss' voice interrupted Emily's thought pattern. "At this time, the Georgetown String Quartet will begin playing, so you are more than welcome to join Richard and me on the dance floor."

The guests began shuffling their way to the dance floor. Some hung behind by the dinner table, and a few refused to vacate their spot at the bar.

Reid took Prentiss' hand. "Can I have this dance with the most beautiful woman in the room?"

Prentiss laughed. "I'd be honored."

Reid stood up and led Prentiss to the dance floor, smiling at his date, thinking all the while, "I can't believe how lucky I am right now."

Little did he know that Prentiss was thinking the exact same thing.


	12. On the Dance Floor

Reid wrapped his right arm around Prentiss' waist and held her right hand in his left. Prentiss' left hand was resting on Reid's shoulder. She was smooth, comfortable. Reid could sense that she was accustomed to this. Reid, on the other hand, was not. He wasn't a dancer. He certainly didn't dance with girls. He was stiff. Prentiss could tell that his hands were clammy.

But she didn't care. It didn't matter to her that he was inexperienced, or that he was young.

What mattered was that he was sweet, and kind, and caring. What mattered was that when she was at her lowest and her most vulnerable, he stuck with her. What mattered was that he looked absolutely stunning in a tuxedo.

They were slowly swaying to the Moonlight Sonata. Reid had loved the piece as a child. His mother would play records of it occasionally. It made him feel tranquil, calm, peaceful.

Reid cleared his throat awkwardly. "I was, um, just wondering. Why did you invite me to this? I mean, I'm sure you have your fair pick of dates…"

Prentiss looked down and left, and gazed back up at Reid and laughed. "I don't know, exactly. Well, I do, but I'm not sure how to phrase it. I just, I wanted to get to know you better, you know? I mean, we work together, but there's obviously something there, and I knew that you'd fit in perfectly at this event, and I just thought that you'd make a good escort."

Reid was processing, but it came across as blank and cold. Damn, Prentiss thought frantically. Did I just scare him? Does he not feel the same way? He has to. In the bathroom, he was… well, if he didn't like me he wouldn't have done that, right?

"I just mean, well, you know, this would be, well-"

"Emily!" Reid laughed. "Stop freaking out. I- I agree. And I'm so glad you invited me to this. And there is something here. I most definitely have reciprocal feelings for you. But you have to understand. I'm a little new at this whole "girlfriend-boyfriend" thing. So you'll have to deal with my mistakes and just teach me."

"Girlfriend-boyfriend?" Prentiss gasped.

"Yeah. Is that-?"

"Yes," Prentiss rushed. "Yes, that's perfect."

"Are you sure? Because-"

"Yes. I'm positive, Reid. Absolutely."

Prentiss just smiled at Reid. She couldn't think of anything else. Just how happy she was.

"Reid, I- thank you. For everything."

Reid smiled. "My pleasure." Prentiss swore she saw a wink. She bit her lip and blushed.

Reid couldn't take it anymore. Prentiss was gorgeous and sexy and beautiful, but when she bit her lip, something sparked inside of him. He moved his left to caress her cheek, and slowly he leaned in. Their lips met in a soft but passionate kiss. Prentiss pulled back, and smiled at Reid. Then it was her turn to lean in and meet Reid's lips with her own. She massaged the back of his neck while he pulled her in closer. Prentiss couldn't remember the last time things had felt so perfect…

"EMILY!" Ambassador Prentiss shrieked.


	13. Mother?

Prentiss' eyes widened. She pushed Reid away and instinctually wiped her lips. It was just like in high school when her mom would catch her making out with some guy in her bedroom.

She whipped around to see her mother glaring at her. "Uhhh… Mother?"

Her mother cleared her throat and crossed her arms. "Emily, can I speak to you for a minute?"

Prentiss nervously nodded. Reid squeezed her hand, and she gave him a look of appreciation. Her mother dragged her over to the balcony.

"Emily!" her mother yelled in a hush whisper. "What in the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Kissing that man like that on the dance floor? You look like some… some cheap floozy making out!"

"Mom!" Prentiss cried. "For your information, Reid and I are dating now, so we'll kiss when we want to. And I'm not in high school anymore. You can't tell what I can and can't do."

"But, Emily-"

"No buts, Mom. I know you're worried that I'm ruining your reputation, but my actions are no longer connected to your reputation. You can continue having your snooty party, but you have to stop trying to control me."

There was a huge silence.

Ambassador Prentiss sighed. "I suppose you're right, Emily. But right in the middle of the dance floor?"

"Mom, it was just a kiss! It's not like we were having sex!" Her mother winced. "Look, I'll try and keep it to a minimum, but seriously. Stop butting in. Okay?"

Her mother rolled her eyes. "Fine. But don't do anything stupid."

Now Emily rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mom." She turned and walked back into the ballroom. Reid was still awkwardly standing alone on the dance floor.

"Hey," she said as she sidled up next to him.

"Emily, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine. My mom was just being herself. Now, where were we?"

Reid grinned. "I believe we were about here." He wrapped his arms around her waist and continued dancing with her.

"You know, Em, you're not a bad dancer at all."

Prentiss giggled. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks. But you haven't seen me attempt the Cha Cha Slide."

"The what?"

"The- never mind. I'll show you some other time."

Prentiss couldn't help but smile. She thought it was adorable how Reid didn't know anything related to pop culture. She loved the way he was so smart and had so much in his brain. But most of all, she loved the way he cared about her.

Meanwhile, Reid still couldn't believe that he was dancing with Prentiss. She looked so incredibly gorgeous. He was, compared to her, someone insignificant, inconsequential. But she had chosen him.

Prentiss and Reid danced song after song. Some songs they just listened and gazed at each other. Other songs they talked and laughed about everything. Every once in a while, Prentiss would lean in for a soft kiss. Nothing to frighten her mother, but enough to keep Reid on his toes.

They danced the night away. Neither of them noticed that by the time the gala was over, it was already 11:00. The quartet stopped playing. Reid and Prentiss reluctantly stopped dancing.

"Umm," Prentiss said. "So, I have to say goodbye to my mom and dad, but after that, do you want to come back to my place? I mean, just for a little bit. To have drinks or something."

"Yeah, I'd like that. A lot."

"Great," Prentiss smiled. "I'll just say goodbye to my parents and then-"

"Wait. I'll come with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I should say goodbye to them too. I mean, now that we're together…"

"Right," Prentiss said. "Right. Now that we're together…"

She reached for Reid's hand and took him to say goodbye to her parents.


	14. Swimmingly

Prentiss and Reid found her parents, casually talking with some family friends. Prentiss looked at Reid, and he could have sworn that she winked at him.

"Mom, Dad, Reid and I are heading out. It's been a lovely evening."

"Oh, so soon you're leaving, Emily?" her father belted. He was still… less than sober. "But the evening's just begun!"

"Oh," Elizabeth muttered. "Yes, well, it was so nice of you to join us, Dr. Reid. And Emily, it was delightful to see you again." Elizabeth leaned in to kiss Prentiss on both cheeks, in a very high-society way. Prentiss rolled her eyes very subtly, but Reid noticed. He elbowed her jokingly, to which Prentiss blushed.

"It was nice to see you too, Mother. Have a wonderful rest of the evening!"

"Yes, darling. Sometime soon, we should have lunch again. Is that all right with you, Emily?"

Does it even matter what I say now, Prentiss thought sardonically. "That would be great, Mother. See you soon then!"

Reid extended his arm out to Prentiss. She wrapped her arm through his, and together they walked up the stairs, and strolled outside.

Reid looked around. He couldn't remember where he parked.

Prentiss read the panic on his face, and immediately knew what he was thinking.

"Reid. It's valet parking."

"Hmm?"

"Valet parking. The driver will come up with the limo."

"Oh. Yes. Right."

Reid looked down, a little embarrassed that he'd forgotten. He shuffled his feet a little. Prentiss sidled up closer to him. "I had an amazing time tonight, you know."

Reid smiled. "So did I, Emily. Thanks again for inviting me."

"It was a pretty good idea on my part, now wasn't it?" Prentiss winked.

"Absolutely."

"Even with a few… minor glitches. Everything still turned out swimmingly."

"Swimmingly?"

"Yeah, swimmingly. I took a word out of your vocabulary."

"I would never say swimmingly!"

"Sure you would, Spencer. It's so fancy-sounding. It's definitely you."

Reid realized he wasn't going to win this argument, so he just smiled at Prentiss. "If you say so, Em."

They stood in silence for a couple of minutes, Prentiss' arm resting on Reid's, her head cozied up against his shoulder. Prentiss was smiling, though she couldn't see that Reid was smiling too.

The limo pulled up. The driver got out, and opened up the door for the couple.

"Ladies first," Reid smiled. Prentiss giggled, and climbed into the limo. Reid jumped in after her.

The limo driver shut the door, and walked around to the front. Once he was inside the car, he asked, "Where to?"

"Back to my apartment, please," Prentiss said as she reached for Reid's hand and smiled.


	15. To the Apartment

Prentiss waved goodbye to the driver. He had been sweet, chatting with her and Reid for the ride home. They talked about movies, music, celebrities, politics. It was a very casual conversation, but Prentiss enjoyed the genuineness. After an exhausting high society evening, she was thrilled be able to have a down-to-earth conversation with a normal human being. Her father could be normal, but not when he was, well, drunk. And she could only handle her mother in small quantities. Too much and she would explode. Not unlike this evening.

Reid enjoyed the conversation as well. But he was enjoying Prentiss' company more. In the limo, their legs had been touching, and every once in a while, Prentiss would look at him and smile. And he, surely, would smile back.

Reid offered his hand, and Prentiss took it. Together they walked up to her apartment building. Prentiss stopped for a minute in front of the door and turned around.

"It's a beautiful night," she whispered. She leaned her head onto Reid's shoulder. "Absolutely beautiful."

"So are you," Reid thought. He considered saying it out loud, but he didn't want to ruin the moment. He was content enough to think it to himself.

After a few minutes of sparkling silence, Prentiss asked, "Should we head upstairs?"

Reid nodded and turned to follow Prentiss.

"I think I mentioned it before," Prentiss said, "but I had a really great time tonight."

"So did I, Emily. So did I."

Prentiss smiled. "But let me tell you, it feels so great to come home after an event like that." Prentiss opened the door to her apartment building. "It's so exhausting, having to converse with all those people, and having to smile and say 'How are you doing, darling? It's been so long since I've seen you!' Between parties like this, and our jobs, it's nice to just spend an evening at home, with a drink in one hand and the remote in the other."

Reid smiled and nodded. He was impressed with how busy Prentiss always was, but how easily she kept her calm. "How often are these parties?"

Prentiss sighed as she opened the door to the stairwell. "I'm usually supposed to go to one every weekend. But if we're working a case, or we've just come back, I can usually get out of them. There are some crazy weekends, especially around the holidays, and before elections and things, that I'm constantly out at parties. And believe me, these aren't the fun kind of parties. They're stuffy and boring. And if you're lucky, the food is good. Otherwise the night is a total drag."

"Well," Reid said, "now if you're ever in need of a date for one of these things, you know where to go."

Prentiss laughed. "Yeah, you're absolutely right about that. But be careful what you wish for… I might be dragging you out more than you bargained for."

"I'm willing to take the risk," he winked.

Prentiss blushed and reached for her keys. "Well, this is my place. It's nothing fancy, but it's enough for me."

"Great," Reid said and smiled.

Prentiss fit her key into the doorknob, unlocked the door, and together they went inside.


	16. This is Home

Reid looked around tentatively. He couldn't remember the last time he was in a girl's apartment. He kicked himself mentally. "That's because you've never been in one, dummy…"

Prentiss flicked on the light switch, and threw her purse on to the couch in one swift motion. Reid could tell that this was part of her nightly routine.

It was a nice apartment. Quiet. Lived in. Reid looked for personal touches. Photographs. Paintings. Anything that would let him learn more about Prentiss. Anything that would make him feel like he knew her better.

Her walls were fairly empty. Painted a muted blue. Clean white trim by the ceiling. There were a few photographs. A forced and posed one of Prentiss and her parents. Probably at some function like the one they were just at. Another one of Prentiss and some man. Brother? Cousin? Boyfriend? Reid didn't know, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.

Prentiss noticed Reid looking around her apartment. "It's not much," she shrugged, "but it's a place to live. Growing up in a mansion, I learned that you really don't need all that much space to make you happy." She walked over towards her couch. "After a hard day at the BAU, I don't really need anything fancy. Just a place to let my mind wander is enough."

She fell down on to the couch. Reid heard a loose spring creak. Prentiss waited for him to join her on the couch, but she could tell that he needed a little prodding. "Hey, Reid. I promise, it's a lot more comfortable over here." She winked ever-so-cutely, and Reid couldn't help but smile.

He walked around her coffee table, and fell down with her. He, of course, was a little more awkward than she was, and almost fell on top of her. Prentiss laughed. There was something endearing about his awkwardness. It wasn't quite childish. But it reminded her not to take things so seriously. That sometimes you needed to take a step back and just laugh a little.

Reid readjusted himself on the couch. He wrapped his arm around Prentiss' shoulder and smiled at her. The couch was soft, but it wasn't as soft as Prentiss' cheek. He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. He wanted to take everything in, wanted to remember every moment.

Prentiss broke the silence. "If you want, we could watch a movie. There's bound to be something at least mildly entertaining on television on a Saturday night."

Reid nodded. "Sure. Maybe a classic sci-fi flick is on?"

Prentiss smiled. "Well, there's one way to find out."

Though truthfully, Reid didn't care what was on TV. All he wanted was to sit there with his arms around Prentiss and her head on her shoulder. All he wanted was to stay there forever.

Or at least for the rest of the night.


	17. I've Had The Time of My Life

Prentiss fiddled with the remote in her hand. She wasn't sure if she wanted Reid to know that she was a chick flick kind of girl. It was an embarrassing fact, after all. She just loved the way that things always seemed to work out in those movies. Unlike the real world, you could always count on happy endings.

She flipped from channel to channel. News, news, infomercial, news, documentary, infomercial. She was hoping to find a good movie to watch. But honestly, what was on TV didn't really matter. She just wanted to sit here with her boyfriend and just relax. Or maybe not relax. Whatever fit the moment.

Sitcom. Medical drama. Terrible sci-fi movie. Prentiss marveled at all of the useless things that were on television. Crime drama. Reality show. She rolled her eyes. Another reality show. "You could put pretty much anything on television these days and get famous."

Reid chuckled. He had a very vague understanding of popular culture. He preferred to watch the science channel or Discovery or documentaries.

Finally Prentiss made it up to the movie channels. Clueless. The Maltese Falcon. Shawshank Redemption. All good movies, she thought. But none of them scream Date Night.

Dirty Dancing. Prentiss stopped. She looked over at Reid to gauge his reaction. His expression was blank, as it had been while watching most of what Prentiss flipped through. The only time she saw a flicker of recognition on his face was when she passed the sci-fi movie, and it was an expression of disgust. "Have you seen this movie before?"

Reid shook his head.

"It's called Dirty Dancing. It's a classic." Prentiss squinted at the television. "I think this is almost at the end, but the end is still worth watching."

Reid smiled. "If you say so."

They sat in silence, watching the end of the movie. Prentiss snuggled into Reid's shoulder to make herself a little more comfortable. Reid melted just a little inside. He still was trying to take in the day's events. It still seemed so surreal…

_Now I've had the time of my life…_

Reid looked down at Prentiss. She looked so peaceful. Her smile was soft, angelic, gentle. He watched the way her eyelashes fluttered. He counted the freckles on her face.

_No I never felt this way before…_

Reid looked back to the television. The song sounded somewhat familiar to him. It was music for commercials, radio, grocery stores. But it never seemed so beautiful before.

_Yes I swear, it's the truth…_

Prentiss looked up at Reid. He looked so mature. His hair seemed to shine in the light. His eyes were bold, unwavering. He looked fierce. But not in a dangerous way. In a strong, gentle, quiet sort of way.

_And I owe it all to you…_

Prentiss looked back to the television. She had watched this movie many times, seen this scene countless times. But it was always alone on her couch, eating popcorn, with girlfriends, commiserating about their love lives. Never with a boyfriend. She listened to the words and let them envelope her.

_'Cause I've had the time of my life…_

Prentiss and Reid looked at each other in the same instant. They couldn't help but smile at each other. Reid reached down and brushed Prentiss' silky hair away from her face. He wanted to see her beautiful, dazzling eyes even better. She bit her lip, a nervous habit she had when she felt anxious. Reid never thought that a nervous habit could be so attractive. He leaned in closer to her, and Prentiss felt herself pulled towards Reid.

_And I owe it all to you…_


End file.
